This I Believe: Music

By Cassius O'Brien

I believe in music.  All throughout my life my dad had me listen to all kinds of songs and artists.  Even today, a song will come on the radio that I think I've never heard before but I find myself knowing the tune.   Sometimes I know almost all the lyrics.  In the way that some people crave food, I crave music.  When I have a song stuck in my head I NEED to hear it or I can't focus on anything else.

I have been playing guitar and drums for almost four years now.  I have learned to play many songs I like to listen to, as it lets me experience them and understand them in a whole new way.  The music that my band covers are mostly songs that I have listened to recently.  I'm always trying to pursue new songs to learn as a way of challenging myself.  Songs I thought impossible to play, I try to learn anyway.  I take pride in the fact that I listen to almost all genres of music; except for country, I hate country music.  On my Ipod, you will find jazz, rock, electronic, dubstep or dance, rap, hard rock, and even comedy music.

When I am listening to my music, I don't imagine the lyrics or see the artists singing the songs.  I see colors.  When I hear a song I really like, I can't really explain how it sounds, probably because I am a horrible singer.  When my dad and I were running a few weeks ago, I tried to explain to him how the song "Take a Walk" by Passion Pit sounded to me.  Instead of humming the tune, I described the colors I saw in the music.  Even though he couldn't hear the song, he could imagine those colors along with me.  The colors are a way for me to express how the song sounds in my head.  Dark, plain colors are usually moody sounds, while upbeat songs sound more colorful and bright.

I believe in music because it can speak to people in a way that words and actions alone cannot.  Music can enhance people's emotions and bring a new mood to everyday activities.  It brings groups of people together and helps creates unique communities of people with common ideas and interests.